Sliding door latch assembly

Abstract

A sliding door has a latch assembly and a vertically disposed pull handle that would normally interfere with convenient operation of the latch lever. A rotatable latch lever is located beyond the handle and a rotatable latch is located opposite the handle. A 4-bar coupling extends between the lever and the latch so that the latch is conveniently rotatable from beyond the pull handle for engaging a cooperating keeper.

1. A sliding door latch assembly comprising:
 an escutcheon plate comprising a central area and a terminal area; 
 a handle secured to the central area of the escutcheon plate; 
 a rotary actuator rotatably mounted within the central area of the escutcheon plate, the actuator adapted to actuate a latch hook when installed on a sliding door sash having a latch hook therein; 
 a lever rotatably mounted to the terminal area of the escutcheon plate; and 
 at least one link connecting the lever to the rotary actuator, the at least one link comprising a rotatable lever plate and at least two bars, each bar attached at a first end to the rotatable lever plate and attached at a second end to the rotary actuator, wherein rotation of the lever causes corresponding rotation of the rotary actuator. 
 
   
   
     2. The sliding door latch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the central area further comprises an area defined at least in part by a point of connection of the handle to the escutcheon plate. 
   
   
     3. The sliding door latch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the handle is secured to the escutcheon plate in at least two points. 
   
   
     4. The sliding door latch assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the central area further comprises an area between the at least two points. 
   
   
     5. A sliding door latch assembly comprising:
 an escutcheon plate; 
 a lever rotatably mounted to the escutcheon plate; 
 a latch hook distal from the lever; 
 a transmission comprising at least two bars, each bar comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the at least two bars are substantially parallel along at least a portion thereof, the transmission located at least partially within the escutcheon plate for transmitting a rotary movement of the lever to the latch hook; 
 a rotatable lever plate secured to the lever; 
 a rotatable actuator plate adapted to actuate the latch hook, wherein the first ends of the bars are connected to the lever plate and wherein the second ends of the bars are connected to the actuator plate; and 
 a handle secured to the escutcheon plate in at least one connection point, wherein the connection point is between the lever and the latch hook. 
 
   
   
     6. The sliding door latch assembly of  claim 5 , wherein rotation of the lever in a first rotational direction causes rotation of the actuator plate in a corresponding rotational direction. 
   
   
     7. The sliding door latch assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the first bar and second bar remain substantially parallel during rotation of the lever. 
   
   
     8. The sliding door latch assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the connection point is located between the first bar and the second bar. 
   
   
     9. The sliding door latch assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the connection point at least partially defines a locus area of the sliding door latch assembly. 
   
   
     10. The sliding door latch assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the latch is mounted within the locus area. 
   
   
     11. A sliding door latch assembly comprising:
 an escutcheon plate; 
 a lever rotatably mounted to the escutcheon plate; 
 a transmission comprising at least two bars, each bar comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the two bars are substantially parallel along at least a portion thereof, the transmission located at least partially within the escutcheon plate for transmitting a rotary movement of the lever to a remotely located latch hook, when the sliding door latch assembly is installed on a sliding door; 
 a rotatable lever plate secured to the lever; 
 a rotatable actuator plate adapted to actuate the latch hook, wherein the first ends of the bars are connected to the lever plate and wherein the second ends of the bars are connected to the actuator plate; and 
 a handle secured to the escutcheon plate in at least one connection point, wherein the connection point is between the lever and the latch hook. 
 
   
   
     12. The sliding door latch assembly of  claim 11 , wherein rotation of the lever in a first rotational direction causes rotation of the actuator plate in a corresponding rotational direction. 
   
   
     13. The sliding door latch assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first bar and second bar remain substantially parallel during rotation of the lever. 
   
   
     14. The sliding door latch assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the connection point is located between the first bar and the second bar. 
   
   
     15. The sliding door latch assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the connection point at least partially defines a locus area of the sliding door latch assembly. 
   
   
     16. The sliding door latch assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the latch is mounted within the locus area.